Lawn-mower.



Patented Mar. 27, |900.

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

Y .D17/enter v W. F. HALL. LAWN MVOWER `(Applieatzion led May 6, 1Bv99.)

(No Model.)

Wai hamaca No. 646,2l2. Patented Mar. 27, |900.

' W. F-. HALL; 1 v

LAwN MowER.

(Application led May 6, 1899.) (No ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A Wz'newfes I 7106215 of NTTEDr STATES PATENT EEICE.

wi'LLiAM F. HALL, on EAYTowN, MIssoURi.

LAWN-MOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,212, dated March 27, 1900.

Application filed May 6, 1899. Serial No. 715,889. (No model.)

To cir/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that LVILLIAM F. HALL, a citi zen of the United States of America, residing at Baytown, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Mowers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object, primarily, a mower for the varied uses of cutting the undergrowth in planted iields as well as the grass upon lawns and between shrubbery and in places beneath sidewalks usually inaccessible to the ordinary lawn-mower, and, second, to leave the windrow at one side of the mower.

My invention consistsin the novel construction and combination of parts such as will be first fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the improved lawn-mower with the upper end of the handle removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view in detail of the frame of the mower, showing the guard-plate and one of the rotary saw-toothed cutters broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View of the forward end of the mower-frame and cutting devices, taken upon the line xa; of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the lower end of the main driving-shaft,showing the stud and seat on the mower-frame adjacent thereto, the combined sprocket-wheel and bevel-gear, and the meshing gear on the driving-shaft in vertical section. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the rear end of the driving-shaft, showing the automatic clutch upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a modification of the rotary grass-cutter. Fig. 7 is a plan view in detail showing the forward ends of the bars, the guard-plate, and the rotary grass-cutters.

Similar letters `of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the frame of the improved lawn-mower,which consists of the parallel AT-'bars ct a', which are connected together at points nearly equidistant from their opposite ends by the webs co3.

The forward end of the bar a extends a considerable distance beyond the forward end of the bar a, the sides of each bar converging to a single point, as at a4. Said forward ends of the bars a a are also bent in an upward direction at an angle to the rear ends of said bars at a point a5 a short distance in rear of the terminal o4 of said ends, so as to form runners to the mower, the under side' and is threaded at one end and provided with a nut b3. Upon the periphery of the wheelB are ribs b4., which are arranged transversely in position and at proper distances apart in the direction of the circumference of the wheel. Upon the inner edge of the periphery of the wheel B, toward the bar a, is a bevel-gear b5.

C represents the handle of the mower, a sufficient portion of which is shown for illustration. The lower end portion of said handleC is forked at c c, and said forked portions eXtendupon the respective sides of the wheel B and are pivotally connected with the bolt b2, bearing against the outer sides of the eyes a6. The lower ends'of said forked portions are also extended at c a short distance past the pivotal point of connection with the bolt b2. Said handle C is held in the proper rearwardly-inclined position by the lugs a7 on the outside portions of the bars ct a a short disa tance from the eyes a on the ends of said bars, against which the extended end portions c of the forked portions c c of the ham die C come in contact. On the inner side of bar a, a short distance from the periphery of wheel B, toward the forward end of the bars a, is an extension a8, upon which is a jour nal-bearing a9, and upon the web a3, vopposite the extension as, is a journal-bearing d10.

In the j ournal-bearings of am, parallel with bar a, is a shaft D of considerable length,

IOO

upon which shaft is loosely mounted pinion d, which engages with the bevel-gear 725 on the side of wheel B. On the end of the pinion c7, toward the rear end of shaft D, is rigidly connected the portion d of a toothed clutch, having the teeth 67X extending around said shaft` (72 is the other portion of the clutch, which consists of a sleeve having teeth tted to engage with the teeth (7X in the portion (7 of the clutch. In the sleeve C72 is a slot- CZ3, in which slot is a pin C74, extending within the shaft D. C75 is a spiral spring extending around shaft D and bearing at one end against the sleeve C72. The other end bears against the collar d0, which collar is secured on the shaft Dby the lug or pin do, extending through the rear end of the said shaft. Upon the forward end of shaft D is a bevelgear d?. In the forward web as, in line with the journals a9 am, is a stud c, upon which is journaled loosely a sprocket-wheel E, integral with which upon its under side is a bevelgear e2, which meshes with the bevel-gear d? on the forward end of shaft D. The upper end of stud e is screw-threaded and provided with a nut e. Upon the upper side of the sprocket-wheel E is a short hub c3.

A considerable distance in rear of the forward end of bar t of frame A is a horizontal plane surface f nearly the width of said bar, in which is an opening or bearing f2. At the rear end of said plane surface f is an upward extension f', extending a short distance above the plane of surface f. In the bearingf2 is inserted the lower end of a journal g, the upper end of which journal is nearly upon a level with the upper end of stud c. Upon the lower end of journal g is casta circular fiange g', the under surface of which bears upon the plane surface f. From the flange g the journal g is increased in circumference and screw-threaded, as at g2, a short distance in the direction of its upper end. At the forward end of bar a of frame A is a horizontal plane surface having an opening in which is fitted a anged journal of the same construction as the journal g. Upon the upper surface and forward` ends of the bars aa is the guard-plate H,which extends diagonally to frame A from the outer edge of bar a to the outer edge of bar a and a short distance beyond the outer edges of said bars.

In the plate II are openings 7i, through which pass the separate journals g g, said plate resting upon the upward extensions f at its rear end, to which extensions the plate I-I is secured by the screws 7L', the forward end of said plate being supported by the stamped depressions in said plate 7a2 and secured to the bars a a' by the screws 72,3. The forward edge of the guard-plate II comprises serrations or saw-teeth h5, whose points lie in arcs of circles. In the plate H, between the respective arcs described by the teeth 71,5 h5, is a rearwardly-extended opening 71.6.

Upon each one of the journals g is a circular flat plato I, in the center of which is a screw-threaded opening to receive the said journals, said plate resting upon the flange g of each journal. In the peripheryof each plate I are serrations or teeth i', which are directly in position above the teeth 715 of the guard-plate, the points of which teeth h5 are a short distance in rear of the forward ends of the bars a a' of frame A. The teeth t" on plate I are the ordinary beveled saw-teeth and sharpened in like manner. Upon each journal g is a sprocket-wheel G, having an internally-screw-threaded hub g3 on its under side, which is fitted to the screw-threaded portion g2 of the journal g and turned so as to clamp the plate I between the said sprocketwheel and the fiange g on said journal.

Above the cutting-plates I I is a cap-plate K, which extends from the upper end of one journal g to the upper end of the other journal g and also to the upper end ot' the stud c, at which point the said plate is narrow in wid th and perforated at 7.; to receive the upper end of the said stud e, which plate bears lightly upon the hub eg of said sprocket-wheel, the nut e preventing the accidental removal of said cap-plate. Upon the under side of the cap-plate and above the cutting-disks I I are journal-bearings 7a2, which consist of collars extending-around the upper end of each journal g and having an annular flange 7c3 at the upper end of the collar, which is secured to the said plate by the bolts 7a4, upon which are nuts 705, the lower end of the collar resting lightly upon the sprocket-wheel G, the upper ends of said journal extending through the cap-plate upon the same plane as the upper surfaceof said plate.

Around the sprocket-wheel E is extended one end of a sprocket-chain L, the other end of which chain is extended around the separate sprocket-wheels G G and the two ends of the chain connected together in theusual manner.

In operation the power applied tothe handie C to give a forward movement to the frame A causes rotation of wheel B, and be- IOO IIO

ing prevented from slipping upon the ground vthe sprocket-chain L, causing a rotation of the circular cutting-disks I I, which rotate in the same direction. The grass as the movement advances enters between the separate teeth of the guard-plate. The grass is given a shear cut, and as one cutting-disk is in advance of the other the cut grass is thrown from the advance cutting-disk laterally upon the rear cutting-disk, which latter disk deposits the cut grass in windrows to be readily taken up, and thus leaving the path of the mower inits front clear of obstruction to the cutting devices. Coarse grass or weeds which may be encountered and enter the opening 7L in the guard-plate in quantity will meet a front and rear cut from the serrations of the cutter-plates I I, which aplss ' I claim as new, and desire to secure by Lettersv the grass is cut short.

preach within a short distance of each other in the circle of rotation. The plates I I are capable of being rotated with great speed under the high gear of the mower. Ordinarily the forward ends of the, bars a a of frame A rest upon the ground, and in this position When the grass is simply required to be clipped, the depression of handle C will elevate the forward end of the frame A, and the weight of the frame is borne by the single wheel B, the degree of elevation being readilyymaintained by the hands of the operator as the mower moves forward. When the machine is run backward, the pinion d forces'baek the portion cl2 of the backing ratchet or clutch, and the teeth upon both portions of the clutch slip by each other and continue todo so until the direction of movement of frame A'is changed to a forward movement, when the spring d5, which is compressed by the sleeve d2, throws the separate portions of the clutch into closer engagement and the shaft D resumes its movement.

Instead of circular cutting-disks I may vary the form of cutters to that shown in Fig. G, if preferred, and such like changes within the scope of the inventiouin the construction of the mower. l

The power being applied from a single wheel to the cutting devices enables the mower to be operated upon lawns having dey pressions in which the ordinary lawn-mower would fail to enter. In my invention the clogging of the cutting devicesl by the `out grass is obviated and the grass removed from the path of the mower.

I-Iavin g f uly described my invention, what l. A lawn-mowerv comprising a single driving-wheel and a bevel-gear upon one side of said wheel longitudinallyextended bars pivotally connected atv their rear ends with the axis of said wheel, and the forward ends bent upwardly at an angle to the rear lends, webs connecting said bars, a horizontal guard-plate upon the forward ends of said bars and rotary grass-cutters journaledin said guard-plate,

and sprocket-wheels upon the journals for said cutters, a stud upon the said bars in rear of said cutters, and a sprocket-wheel upon said stud, a bevel-gear upon said stud integral with the sprocket-wheel, a cap-plate having bearings for the upper ends of said jour- Vwnals and stud, a sprocket-chain extending around said sprocket-wheels, a rotary driv.

ing-shaft j ournaled upon said bars in rear of said stud, and a bevel-gear upon one end of said shaft meshing with the bevel-gear on said stud, and a bevel-gear upon the other end of said shaft, meshing with the bevel-gear on said driving-wheel.

2. In a lawn-mower, a journal having an annular ange and a screwthreaded portion above said ange', a rotary cutting-p1ate having a screw-threaded opening adapted to be fitted to thescrew-threaded portion. of said journal, and a wheel having an internallyscrew-threaded hub uponthe threaded por tion of said journal, adapted to be clamped upon the cutting-plate.

p 3. In a lawn-mower comprising forwardlyextended bars,unequal in length, havingtheir forward endsk bent upwardlyat an angle to the rear ends of said bars, a main drivingwheel having,r its axis pivotally connected with the rear ends of said bars, a handle havinga forked lower end, also pivotally connected with the axis of the main driving-wheel, and lugs upon the sides of said bars, a guard-plate connected with the frward ends of said bars and yarranged at an angle thereto, and hav--A ing teeth upon its forward edge the points of which lie in arcs of circles, circular grass-'cutting plates havingteeth in the circumference of said plate and journaled in said guardplate, in proximity to the teeth in the guard plate, and power-conveying devices substan v tially as described upon the vmain drivingwheel and said frame, and also upon the .jour nals of said circular cutting-plates, actuating said cutting-plates.,

- WILLIAM r. HALLA Witnesses:

JOHN T. MARSHALL, PETER MINICK. 

